An ordinary menu that is unbelievably delicious...! And affordable. A super popular Chinese restaurant with a constant flow of customers. It's best to make a reservation for dining in. I made a reservation for 5:30 pm on a weekday. The dining area was fully booked with reservations. Takeout customers were also constantly coming in. Incredibly popular. [What I ate] Today's shark fin soup ¥1210, Mayonnaise stir-fried shrimp ¥1263, Sweet and sour pork ¥1155, Five-flavor fried rice ¥1430, Sesame dumplings with lotus bean paste ¥165, Draft beer ¥605, Plum wine ¥605. Everything I ate was too delicious... A basic feature of Kyoto-style Chinese cuisine is no garlic, resulting in a gentle richness rather than a strong flavor. The common menu items, made with seemingly ordinary ingredients and priced like typical city Chinese food, turned out to be overwhelmingly delicious. I was puzzled. How could they be so delicious? What makes them so different? It was amazing. Really, amazing. I lack the words to describe it... I really want you to experience it. If I had to say one thing, the service is a bit lacking. Since there are no photos on the menu, it's hard to gauge portion sizes, and even when asking for advice, the responses are a bit vague. Ordering might be difficult for first-timers. However, with a constant flow of customers and a small staff, it's understandable that personalized service is challenging. The atmosphere is not bad at all, so it's not a problem at all with such incredible deliciousness. Also, it's quite far from the station. I believe the closest station is Imadegawa Station, but it's a 12- to 13-minute walk. I was so impressed that these two points were not an issue at all... I was deeply moved! I would love to visit again. Thank you for the meal (*´ω`*)

During the hot Obon holiday in Kyoto, I visited a Kyoto-style Chinese restaurant called "Birei," located about a 10-minute walk from Imadegawa Station. Unlike traditional longstanding Chinese restaurants, this place has been open for 17 years and offers a new yet nostalgic atmosphere. The chef, Mr. Sone, trained in hotel Chinese cuisine in Kyoto before opening his own place, so you can enjoy the luxury of hotel-style Chinese dishes in a casual setting. The first floor has a small counter and tables for two, with the kitchen in the back. The second floor has two large tables. We started with draft beer and Shaoxing wine "Birei." The dishes included Shaoxing wine-marinated red prawns, sizzling mapo tofu, steamed peeled large prawns with garlic, and steamed flounder. The standout was the large plate of Shaoxing wine-marinated red prawns, soaked in the flavorful Shaoxing wine. The sizzling mapo tofu was served bubbling hot with Chinese prickly ash on the side for adjusting the spiciness, offering a mildly spicy and delightful Cantonese flavor. The steamed peeled large prawns with garlic had a pungent garlicky taste, while the steamed flounder was seasoned with scallions, fish sauce, and Chinese soy sauce, creating a rich flavor with scallion oil. Since the chef specializes in Cantonese cuisine from hotel restaurants, the dishes emphasized the gentle flavors of the ingredients. I look forward to trying more dishes on my next visit to this neighborhood Chinese restaurant. Thank you for the delicious meal!

This popular restaurant requires reservations⭐️ The interior was fully booked, with non-reserved guests being served one after another, from appetizers to the end, reaching the level of difficulty in reservations similar to top-tier restaurants⭐️ If you order a la carte, you will encounter wonderful dishes that rival those of hard-to-book establishments, with excellent compatibility with Shaoxing wine, making it a highly popular restaurant⭐️

I visited Mirei-san for the first time about 13 years ago and have been using it at night. I have used it for a small farewell party at work once. The restaurant is small, and the owner cooks alone, so not only do you need a reservation from the first time you use it, but in some cases, you may need to make a reservation almost a month in advance. The food is delicious, and except for some dishes, it is very reasonable, with each dish costing less than 2000 yen. The restaurant is located in an old townhouse, creating a calm and pleasant atmosphere, which is why it is so popular. This time, I made a reservation two weeks in advance and visited with two people at the opening time of 5:30 p.m., and we ended up ordering five dishes. The portion size of each dish is generally for 3-4 people. ⚫︎ Steamed Chicken with Sansho Sauce (1,210 yen) First of all, it looks very beautiful as shown in the picture. The slices of cucumber, carrot, and tomato are extremely thin and lightly seasoned, not just as accompaniments but also delicious on their own. The main steamed chicken is very tender and light, without the greasiness typical of soft chicken, showing the high level of cooking. It's delicious even without the sauce, but the Sansho sauce enhances the flavor of the steamed chicken. It is truly a suitable appetizer. ⚫︎ Shrimp in Chili Sauce (1,265 yen) The shrimp is very springy. The chili sauce uses garlic skillfully, enhancing the springiness of the shrimp, and the sauce is very complex and rich, making it a dish that you rarely see in other restaurants. ⚫︎ Scallops in Cream Sauce (1,265 yen) This could also be considered a Chinese dish, but it has a completely different flavor from the shrimp chili. It is very milky and rich in a different sense. However, it has a very gentle taste that goes well with the delicate and springy texture of the scallops. Of course, the bok choy included is also tender and easy to eat when wrapped in this cream. The style and seasoning have not changed since my first visit 13 years ago, making it a long-running menu. ⚫︎ Stir-Fried Wagyu Beef with Black Pepper (1,980 yen) There is plenty of diced beef in this dish! The meat is very tender, almost like steak! Previously, it was seasoned only with salt as the name of the menu suggests, but this time it is based on oyster sauce, including vegetables like onions, bell peppers, and lotus root, soaking up the umami from the beef, making it very delicious! It's a bit pricey at nearly 2,000 yen, but it's a dish I highly recommend! ⚫︎ Today's Fried Rice (1,100 yen) It was fried rice with clams and lettuce. The umami from the clams permeates the fried rice, creating a moist and sweet flavor throughout. This is also highly recommended as the last dish. Normally, we order four dishes, but having one more dish made us quite full. We didn't order any drinks, but the cold jasmine tea served was also very delicious, and from the beginning to the end, including the food, we enjoyed everything without any misses. The restaurant is located near Imadegawa-Omiya, with no railway station nearby. If I had to say, it's about a 15-minute walk from Imadegawa Station on the subway Karasuma Line, so it's not impossible to walk there, but generally, I think most people would come by bus. It's a restaurant that I don't want to tell too many people about, but if you visit Kyoto, why not try using it once? Reservations are essential.

Lunch is divided into two sessions, from 11:30 to 13:00. I called on the day and luckily managed to secure one of the last two available seats. Truly deserving of being listed among the top 100 restaurants on Tabelog. The food was really delicious. I had the daily lunch special for 1,320 yen (tax included), while my husband ordered a la carte dishes: today's fried rice with cod roe and shiso, pork with black vinegar, and shrimp marinated in Shaoxing wine. The marinated shrimp was served first, and we were impressed by the portion and quality. Every dish had excellent ingredients, wasn't too greasy, and had just the right amount of flavor. The location of the restaurant is quite hard to find, but we've found a place we definitely want to visit again!!

Seimei Shrine is not far to walk from the station. We took a bus from Imadegawa Station because it seemed like a bit of a walk. It felt like a hidden gem, and there were few dining options nearby, so it was not crowded. There was only one other group besides us. We made a reservation, but it seemed like we could have gotten in easily even on the day of. We had stone-grilled mapo tofu spring rolls, shrimp chili, and black vinegar pork stir-fry. We were so full that we couldn't eat any rice dishes, but everything was delicious! There was also an ethnic aroma, making it a great Chinese restaurant!

I visited for lunch on a weekend in May 2023 after making a reservation. I ordered the daily lunch special, which was sautéed shrimp with mayonnaise. The service was efficient as always, with the staff smoothly taking orders, cooking, serving, and cleaning up for the two of us. The food was served promptly. The daily lunch special included appetizers, soup, fried dishes, mapo eggplant, rice, and dessert. The appetizers were bang bang chicken, honey-soaked cherry tomatoes, and bonito tataki, all consistently delicious. The soup was daikon and dried sakura shrimp, with a well-balanced broth that was delicious. The fried dishes were daikon mochi and fried skewers, both lightly coated with fried garlic and a hint of chili pepper, making them very tasty. The mapo eggplant was a first-time try for me, and it was cooked just right, not too mushy, with a perfect match of minced meat sauce. The rice and dessert, soy milk pudding, were consistently delicious. The sautéed shrimp with mayonnaise was different from the usual deep-fried shrimp with mayonnaise; here, they stir-fried plump, boiled shrimp. I thought this dish really highlighted the quality of the ingredients. Overall, the food was consistently delicious without any disappointments. I look forward to continuing to dine here regularly.

Located near Seimei Shrine, this restaurant stands alone in a residential alley. I had tried to visit a few times before, but couldn't get a reservation for the same day or the day before, so this time I made a reservation a week in advance and finally went. *Important note: They have a total turnover system, so you can only stay for an hour and a half. I went with two other people, and they ordered the "daily lunch set," while I ordered a la carte by myself. About 90% of the customers seemed to be ordering the daily lunch set, and their orders came smoothly from start to finish. However, my a la carte order took 30 minutes for the first dish to arrive after ordering, then another 20 minutes for the second dish, and the last dish (without a photo) arrived just 10 minutes before the end (due to the hour and a half time limit). I had to rush to finish eating within the time limit. Although the taste was good, I felt slightly rushed by the staff, and I thought it's best to only order the daily lunch set during lunchtime.

★4th Delicious Food Eating Club order: Red Prawn Soaked in Shaoxing Wine, Sweet and Sour Pork, Black Pepper Stir-fried Wagyu Beef, Shrimp in Chili Sauce, Stone Pot Mapo Tofu (with photo), Shumai (with photo), Daikon Mochi, Today's Fried Rice, Shanghai Yakisoba. This place, located in the heart of Kyoto, is notoriously difficult to book. A well-known restaurant that needs no further introduction. The highly recommended dish is definitely the Mapo Tofu. Another day of blissful indulgence, thank you for the delicious meal.

In April, I visited the popular Chinese restaurant "Birei" in Kyoto with a budget of 6,000 yen. I had been wanting to visit for a long time. Despite trying many times before, there were no openings recently, so I made a reservation about 3 weeks in advance and visited for dinner. The attentive service and calm atmosphere inside the restaurant were very comfortable. There were many cost-effective menu options, and it was enjoyable just looking at them. The flavors were not overpowering, and even the shark fin sauce was light and easy to eat. The portion size was substantial, and I left feeling satisfied. I definitely want to visit again.

I ordered today's lunch set menu (1320 yen) at the selected Chinese cuisine restaurant 百名店WEST. I made a reservation a week in advance and visited the restaurant. I prefer Chinese food with slightly strong flavors, so I found the dishes I had today to be all simple in taste and lacking in excitement.

Although this place is said to be one of the top 100 restaurants on Tabelog. Well, it's just a local spot, right? It's quite hard to find. The stone pot mapo tofu is cooked at such a high heat that the sauce burns if left unattended! It's hot! Even though I was a bit disappointed when they said it was clam fried rice, it was delicious~. Today, when they said it was clam, my excitement dropped a bit, but it was tasty~. The capacity doesn't seem to be very large, so please don't rush there, okay?

This is my favorite restaurant in the town. Everything I eat here is delicious. The flavors are like a common denominator that Japanese people love, and the mapo tofu is a must-try, along with the stir-fried vegetables. I hope they stay the same forever. It's a renowned restaurant that makes regular customers living nearby envious.

It's a place that doesn't require reservations, but reservations are recommended. Happy New Year! Congratulations on making it through 2022. So, here is the first review of the new year. I went once before and was turned away even though there were empty seats. It seems you can't get in without a reservation. I made a reservation and had the lunch set. I was also considering à la carte, but since it was my first visit, I went with the set. It was so good, I couldn't believe it for the price. The quality at this price point is amazing. It's no wonder they have a Bib Gourmand. It's a place where you can go with a large group and enjoy a variety of dishes. But, hmm, it's difficult when you don't have friends to go with.

It's truly delicious Chinese food in Kyoto. It's so good and cheap that I don't really want to tell anyone about it, but I feel so grateful to the restaurant that I want them to make a profit and stay in business. It's absolutely delicious and affordable. It's a fantastic restaurant. One of the few places where you'd feel like you're missing out if you don't go.

Nishijin "Birei" Nishijin, come to a good place here♪ There are many good restaurants in the Nishijin area where I work, and the Chinese restaurant "Birei" is a popular place that requires reservations. It is quietly located behind the Nishijin Orimono Kaikan. It's a 3-minute walk from my workplace, but even if I go without a reservation, I can't get in. This time, I made a reservation for my first visit. The restaurant is two stories high, and we were seated on the first floor. There are 2 table sets and a few counter seats. It seems to be run by a couple, creating a homely atmosphere. The steamed chicken with sansho pepper sauce for 1,210 yen is beautifully presented with cucumber. It tastes like high-end Chinese cuisine at a hotel. The steamed chicken is tender and juicy. Really? I was surprised by the rich and gentle fat that oozes out. It is soft and perfectly cooked. The sansho pepper sauce is gentle, with a pleasant occasional spicy kick. The spring roll (1 piece) for 275 yen is generously filled with a crispy and smooth filling. It's a safe choice. The seafood and seasonal vegetable stir-fry for 1,265 yen allows you to choose from squid, shrimp, or scallops, and I chose squid. The seafood flavor seeps into the vegetables nicely. The stone-grilled mapo tofu for 1,155 yen is a popular menu item. The bubbling stone pot stimulates the appetite. The mild mapo tofu without spiciness is soothing. For those who want it spicy, there is a system to sprinkle on sansho pepper powder. Gradually, a good aroma develops as it slightly burns. There are still more menu items that I'm curious about, but this day was for bar hopping. We settled the bill around here. It's convenient being close to my workplace, so I'll be back. By the way, there is also a 4,400 yen chef's choice course available.

A renowned Chinese restaurant located in a back alley near Horikawa and Imadegawa. I came here after a long time. Cold dish ★ Steamed chicken with Sichuan pepper sauce The Sichuan pepper sauce is incredibly delicious. It's so good that you can't stop eating it with chopsticks. ★ Spring rolls The recommended spring rolls were just average. ★ Stone pot mapo tofu Served piping hot at the extreme temperature. You can adjust the spiciness yourself. Scoop it up with a long ladle ★ Stir-fried squid and seasonal vegetables Cooked quickly over high heat, so the vegetables are crispy and perfectly cooked. The squid is quite tender. It was delicious. I'm going to visit two more places from now.